Buying a sports car that is sporty-looking and fun to drive doesn’t always have to break the bank, and we see that with used Mazda Miatas and Pontiac Solstice cars. You can buy a brand new Nismo trim 370z for a base-model price of about $30,000 and get a car that is incredibly fun to drive, but it’s still a high value for a Nissan sportscar. Even older, used Nissan 370z cars are priced high, which is good if you are looking for something customizable that doesn’t lose all of its value in the first few years, but that doesn’t necessarily mean the brand-new price is what it should be.

Does the Nissan 370z live up to its high price tag?

There is no doubt that from the outside the Nissan 370z is one of the brands best-looking cars. From the inside, however, the car is just as basic and plastic-clad as many other low-end Nissan cars. Tee interior and dashboard are nothing to write home about — unless you are going to complain about it. The inside of the 370z seems to be stuck in a nostalgic time and hasn’t updated to more modern interior styles and materials. There are plenty of sports cars you can buy in this price range that have much nicer interior options, like the newer Mazda Miata.

The 370z Nismo is by no means the most expensive car Nissan has to offer, but when you’re looking at the price of this car compared to other sports cars at the same price you might be better off buying an older used Porsche for less still. The 370z offers a mediocre level of comfort, and although several companies produce aftermarket suspensions the original suspension doesn’t impress much. If you are looking for a car to modify and customize, many companies offer products to improve the problems, but it’s not great if you prefer to keep cars original.

The 370z does have a lot going for it

Just because the price of the 370z is higher than we would expect doesn’t mean it isn’t still a great car. For one thing, it’s only a handful of cars that you can still buy that is offered with a manual transmission. It handles corners well and gives the driver fun and enjoyable experience without being too comfortable or luxurious. Like most other Nissan cars they are still easy to maintain and won’t rack up high maintenance and repair costs.

The 370z with the Nismo trim is hands down one of the brand’s best-looking cars. It has aggressive styling that incorporates everything we loved about the 350z to give the car a heritage-style look. Just like previous Z cars the 370z Nismo is customizable, stylish, and fun to drive, but that doesn’t mean it justifies the high price tag.